MORATORIUM ON TOLL ROADS EXPECTED TO END IN TWO WEEKS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 26 (Antara) - The government has issued a moratorium to temporarily stop the construction of 32 elevated roads, bridges, and Light Rail Transit (LRT) projects across the country, following the collapse of several infrastructure projects.          The construction work is temporarily halted pending thorough evaluation, which is expected to last for two weeks. The moratorium was announced by the government, through the Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Ministry, on Feb 20, 2018.          "I have instructed that the construction work on all elevated sections of toll roads, LRT, and bridges should be halted beginning this morning. The Construction Safety Committee (KKK) will conduct an auditing," PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono told the press at Gajah Mada University in Yogyakarta on Tuesday (Feb 20).        The minister made the statement in connection with the collapse of a girder of the elevated Bekasi-Cawang-Kampung Malayu (Becakayu) toll road project in Jakarta recently, injuring seven workers. A number of similar incidents have previously taken place in Indonesia.           Based on records, since Aug 1, 2017, until Feb 20, 2018, at least 14 projects underwent accidents in Jakarta, Palembang (South Sumatra), Bogor (West Java), Cikampek (West Java), Pasuruan (East Java), Pemalang-Batang (Central Java), and Depok (West Java).          The most serious one was the collapse of a girder launcher at the construction site of a quadruple railway project on Feb 4, 2018, in East Jakarta, killing four workers and injuring others.